Apparatus for unloading vessels



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. G. PFEIFFER APPARATUS FOR uunolamue VESSELS Filed A112. 9, i923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

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c. G. PFEIFFER APPARATUS FOR [momma VESSELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed A1121. 9, 1923 WI TNES Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITED TES CHARLES G. PFEIFFER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SPECIALTY ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 01 PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR UNLOAIDING VESSELS.

Application filed August 9, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLns G. PFEHFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Unloading Vessels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to apparatus useful in unloading vessels such as barges and the like, and is directed toward provision of an organization for the purpose specified characterized by the utmost compactness so as to occupy a minimum space for its accommodation on a pier; which is capable of effect-ing the desired objective in an expeditious manner; which has capacity for being adjusted vertically relative to the vessel incidental to its unloading; and which can be contracted when not in use so as to avoid any obstructional projections beyond the line of the pier whereupon it is erected.

Other objects and attendant advantages of my invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows of a typical embodiment thereof, and its scope likewise apparent from the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. I is an elevation of an unloading apparatus conveniently comprehending my invention; and

Fig. II is a plan view more or less diagrammatically represented to better illustrate certain important features of the invention.

As herein shown, I erect a superstructure or tower 1 on the pier, landing or the like indicated at 2 whereto transfer is to be made of the contents of a barge or vessel conventionally represented at The superstructure 1 is constituted of a number of uprights and horizontals 4 and 5 which are tied together by diagonally arranged cross braces 6 except for an omission at 7 to afford a space or archway for accommodation of vehicles. At its top, the superstructure supports a number of horizontally disposed sill beams 8 upon which are mounted track rails 9 curved at their ends as at 10 to limit movement of a wheeled crane carriage 11. As shown this carriage 11 has the form of a truss frame built up preferably of structural Serial No. 656,603.

steel and symmetrically angularly configured and appropriately braced to withstand the lifting strains imposed upon it as hereinafter noted. As a means for progressing the carriage 11 along its track rails 9, I provide a winch 12 which is mounted in suitable journals fixed toone of the carriage uprights 13, and as illustrated in Fig. 11, comprises two drums 15-15 designed to take upon cords or cables 1616. These cords or cables 16-16 pass about idler pulleys 1717 mounted for free rotation at the outsides of the sill beams 8, and thence extend horizontally along the outsides of said beams with their opposite ends secured, with interposition of adjustable tension bolts 18, to fixed anchorages 19. In the present in stance, the winch 12 is provided with a crank 20 adapted for manual operation; but if desired any standard type of power actuating means may be installed in its stead.

The crane carriage 11 serves as an overhead support for a conveyor 21 composed, as best seen from Fig. II, of a pair of endless sprocket chains 22 spaced a suitable distance apart for mounting at intervals therebetween of buckets 23. A portion of the conveyor 21 is suspended from the left hand extremity of the truss carriage 11 (as considered in Fig. I), while the remaining portion extends horizontally of said carriage. The angular course of the conveyor 21 is determined by a number of sprockets that include directional sprockets 2425 about which the opposed runs of the chains 22 are respectively trained, and rounding sprockets 26 at the terminus of the horizontal stretch of said conveyor. The sprockets 24-25 are respectively mounted upon shafts 27-28 j ournalled in appropriate bearings on the truss frame, and the sprockets 26 on a shaft 29 journalled in bearings supported on a small wheeled mounting 30 which runs along track rails 31 on the carriage 11. This arrangement is instituted to permit positional changes of the sprockets 26 to compensate for lengthening and shortening of the vertical stretch of the conveyor 21 as will be explained later. In order to render the mounting 80 automatically responsive to such adjustments of the conveyor 21, I associate with it a weight 32 that is suspended from sheaves 33 hung in loops of cables or cords 34. Each of these cables or cords 34 is guided over pulleys 3536 journalled on the framework of the carriage 11 having one of its ends attached to the wheeled mounting 30 and the other to the shaft 38 whereon the pulleys 35 are mounted. As a means for checking the influence of the weight 32 when desired, I fix upon one end of the pulley shaft 38 a conventional type of brake drum device 39 operable by movement of a counter-balanced lever arm 40 which is arranged to be controlled through interposed motion translating linkages 41- 42-43, by a hand lever 44 preferably located close to the winch 12- This lever 44 is fulcrumed about a shaft 45 extending transversely of the carriage frame and has incorporated with it a ratchet locking means as conventionally represented.

Returning now to the shaft 28 which carries the directional sprockets 25 for the chains 22, it will be noted the same serves as the drive shaft for the conveyor 21 and derives motion through the medium of a speed reducing spur gear couple 50 from a parallel shaft 51 contiguous thereto. This shaft 51 is coordinated through a chain or belt 52, with a shaft 53 having in turn a chain or belt connection 54 with a source of power such for example as an electric motor 55 mounted on the crane carriage 11. The transverse shaft 27 which carries the directional idler sprockets 24 normally revolves freely in bearings on the carriage 11, but when desired or necessary, may be checked by a brake drum organization 56 similar to the one previously described for checking movement of the pulleys 35 associated with the weight 32. The brake drum means 56 is coupled by a link 57 with a control lever 58 similar in all respects to the control lever 44 already referred to and mounted on the same axis 45 therewith.

In order to afford shelter for an operative, the central portion of the crane carriage 11 is closed in as shown at 60, so as to include and also protect the winch 12, the control levers 44-58, the motor 55 as well as the shaft 53 and its appendages. Beyond the left hand end of the housing 60 extends a foot path permitting approach to the bearings of the sprocket shafts 2728 for the purposes of oiling and inspection, said foot path being provided with the usual guard or hand rails 62.

To the lower end of the suspended or ver tical stretch of the conveyor 21 is hung what I will for convenience term an elevator boot 63 preferably of the configuration shown and constructed of structural steel shapes. This boot 63 carries the journals for a shaft 64 whereon are mounted the rounding sprockets 65 at that terminus of the con veyor 21. The boot 63 further affords guideways 66 for the conveyor chains 22 as well as legs 67 designed to penetrate the material in the barge to a sufficient depth to prevent lateral displacement and to secure the maximum scooping effect of the buckets 23.

The manner of manipulating my improved unloading apparatus is as follows:

The crane carriage 11 is first shifted by actuation of the winch 12 to bring the suspended portion of the conveyor 21 from the retracted position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. I to any desired position, such for example as represented in full lines, over the barge 3 in readiness for descent of the elevator boot 63 into the barge. This latter operation is effected simply under action of gravity on the suspended end of the conveyor 21 permitted under release of the brake means 56 and controlled by permitting slippage of the brake means 39 by proper manipulation of the hand levers 58 and 44. In the course of the descent of the boot 63, its feet 67 penetrate the material in the barge 3, and, as a consequence, thereafter hold the boot 63 against displacement in opposition to the action of the conveyor buckets 23. lVith the foregoing conditions fulfilled, the motor 55 is started and the conveyor 21 set in motion in the direction of the arrows, the buckets 23 successively delivering the charges scooped from the barge 3 to a chute, such as indicated in dotted lines at 70 in Fig. I, and thereby directed to a point of discharge over the archway 7.

hen it is desired to raise the boot 63, this is accomplished by setting the brake means 56 to temporarily prevent movement of that run of the conveyor 21 wherewith the sprockets 24 engage; starting the motor 55 to effect concurrent movement of the other run of the conveyor 21; and releasing the brake means 39 thereby permitting the weight 32 to draw upon the wheeled mounting 30 which carries the sprockets 26 and takes up accumulating slack in the conveyor chains 22.

hen not in use, the suspended portion of the conveyor 21 is retracted to the dotand-dash line position shown in Fig. I and the elevator boot 63 raised so as to leave the passage for the barges free of obstruction.

By the various provisions herein made, it will be apparent that the conveyor 21 and its elevator boot 63 may be readily and dextrously manipulated back and forth as well as up and down in meeting the various exigencies of practice. It is to be especially noted that my improved apparatus is extremely compact and requires a comparatively small space for its accommodation on a pier.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising an overhead support, an endless conveyor suspended from said supiii t 'li i EH5 saw port, means for temporarily holding one run of the conveyor against motion, and means for concurrently moving the opposite run of the conveyor to efiect vertical adjustment of its suspended end.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising an overhead support, an endless sprocket chain conveyor suspended from said support, a driving sprocket engaging one run of the conveyor, an idler sprocket engaging the opposite run of the conveyor, and means whereby said idler sprocket can be temporarily held against rotation to determine vertical adjustment of the suspended end of the conveyor under movement concurrently imparted to the opposite run of the conveyor by the driving sprocket.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising an overhead support, an endless sprocket chain conveyor suspended from said support, a driving sprocket engaging one run of the conveyor, an idler sprocket engaging the opposite run of the conveyor, and brake means associated with said idler sprocket whereby the same can be temporarily held against rotation to determine vertical adjustment of the suspended end of the conveyor under concurrent movement imparted to the opposite run of the conveyor by the driving sprocket.

4:. An apparatus of the character described comprising an overhead support, an endless conveyor suspended from the support, means for temporarily arresting motion of one run of the conveyor, means concurrently operative on the opposite run of the conveyor to effect vertical adjustment of its suspended end and means incidentally operative to prevent slack in the conveyor.

5. An apparatus of the character de scribed comprising an overhead support, an endless conveyor suspended from said support, means for temporarily holding one run of the conveyor against motion, means for concurrently moving the opposite run of the conveyor to effect vertical adjustment of its suspended end, rounding wheels at the inner terminus of the conveyor, a freely movable carriage for said wheels, and counterweights influencing the carriage to prevent slack as the conveyor is adjusted 6. An apparatus of the character described comprising an overhead support, an endless conveyor suspended from said support, rounding wheels at the inner terminus of the conveyor, a freely movable mounting for said wheels, a weighted cable attached to the mounting, a pulley guiding the cable, and brake means associated with the pulley whereby descent of the suspended end of the conveyor under gravity may be checked to hold the same in difi'erent vertical posisions of adjustment.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising an overhead support, an endless chain conveyor with a portion suspended from the support and a portion extending horizontally of the support, directional sprockets respectively engaging opposite runs of the conveyor at the crotch of its angular course, means for holding one of said sprockets temporarily against rotation, and means for concurrently driving the other of said sprockets to effect vertical adjustment of the suspended end of the conveyor.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising an overhead support, an endless bucket conveyor suspended from the support with capacity for vertical adjustment, an elevator boot of structural shapes with depending legs designed to penetrate the material to be transferred and prevent displacement of the suspended end of the conveyor in opposition to the scooping action of the conveyor buckets, guide Ways within said elevator boot for the bucket conveyor chains, and rounding wheels journalled to the boot and engaged within the suspended loop of the conveyor.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 7th day of August, 1923.

CHARLES G. PFEIFFER. 

